The Core i7-2820QM deserves some accolades for its gaming performance, as well, however stifled that might have been by Intel's still-immature drivers. Provided Intel continues to release new drivers with compatibility improvements, I think we may find ourselves in a world where notebooks really don't need discrete GPUs unless they're to be used for serious gaming. The fact that Intel is offering HD Graphics 3000 across its entire mobile lineup may mean even relatively low-end, dual-core Sandy Bridge notebooks will pack the same punch as last year's laptops with decent discrete GPUs. That'd be huge, and I think it'd be a boon to PC gaming as a whole.

Now, considering the excellent run times exhibited by this notebook with a 45W mobile Sandy Bridge CPU, I think we can get a little adventurous and extrapolate that dual-core Sandy Bridge mobile chips with 35W, 25W, and 17W TDPs will enable even better run times—perhaps better than what previous-generation machines with similar-wattage processors could achieve. That could leave us with a whole generation of not just highly capable notebooks that can do a reasonable job with games, but also notebooks that transcend previous mobility expectations. I have my fingers crossed, and I'm rather excited to get my hands on some dual-core Sandy Bridge laptops.TR